Electrical relay



w; K. LOCKHART ET AL 1,771,577

" Jul 29, 1930.

EILIJCTRIGAL RELAY Filed April 22, 1929 INVENTORSI W. K. Lac/cha 7'37". O'MQI' housin ilar parts in all three views.

Patented July 29, 1930 YUNITEDSTATES WILLIAM K. LOCKHART, or WILKINSB'URG, AND THOMAS J. oivrEARA, or PITTSBURGH,

.IPENNSYLVANIA, Assreuons re UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANYQOF uswIssvALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A conroaarion or PENNSYLVANIA 4 ELECTRICAL RELAY Application filed April 22,

. Our inventionrelates to electricalrelays, and particularlyv to apparatus for attaching the top plate ofan electricalfrelay to the g which encloses the operating mechanism of the relay.

We will describe. one form of apparatus embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

Intheaeeempan in drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 are views,'showingin. front and side elevation, respectively, a top plate fastened to a housing by means of apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. .3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 taken on the line III'III in Fig.2. g

Similar reference characters refer to sim- Referring to the drawing, the reference character A designates an electrical relay comprising a top plate B and a housing 0.

As here shown, the housing C is glass and encloses the operating mechanism of the relay, which operating mechanism forms no part of our present invention and is therefore omitted from the drawing for the sake of simplicity. For the purpose of fastening the top plate B to the housing C, we have provided apparatus designated in general by the reference character D.

The apparatus D comprises a thin strap 1 of suitable material, such as phosphor bronze, bent into a substantially U-shape to conform to the contour of the housing 0, and having a wide horizontal lower portion 1 as best seen in Fig. 2, and two upwardly ex tending arms 1 The upper end 1 of each arm 1 is bent over and a metal block 2 is attached to the underside of each bent over end 1, as by riveting, to form a lug 3. The apparatus D also comprises two studs 8 screwed into threaded holes 9 in the top plate B, as best shown in Fig. 3. A metal sleeve 7 fits over each stud 8 and is screwed into a threaded hole 6 in the associated lug 3. The

1929. Serial No. 356,938.

against the top plate so that when the sleeves T are screwed downwardly or upwardly, the upper ends of the strap 1 are raised or lowered, and the sleeves therefore serve as a means for tightening the strap to the proper tension to hold the housing C firmly against the'relay topfplate. WVhenthe-sleeves 7 are adjusted to the desired positions, they may be locked in these positions by means of two lock nuts 11, one of which is screwedo'nthe upper end of eachsleeve. To improve the seal between the housing and the relay top, a gas- N OFFIQB ket 12 of some suitable material such as cork or felt, may be interposed between the top plate and the housing. i

Eachend of the housingC is provided with two integral ribs 15 arranged to form "a slot adjacent the arm 1 nearthe'top of thehous ing. Fitting within each of these slots and fastened to the associated arm 1 as by rivet ing, is asp acing block 13. When the strap 1 is drawn up to theproper tension, the spaci-ng blocks 13 engage the housing at its ends, and at the ribs 15 and hold the top of the housing properlycenteredwith respect to the top plate B. Four integral shoulders 14:, two of which are located on e'achside of the lower portion 1 of the strap 1, project fromthe bottom of the housing C and engage the lower portion 1 ofthe strap 1 to prevent the bottom of the housing from moving toward the right or left as viewed in Fig. 2.

In assembling the partsjof the relay, the

sleeves 7 arefirst screwed into the lugs 3 and the locknutsll are loosely screwed on the sleeves. The strapv 1 is then placed around the housing C with the horizontal lower portion 1? between the shoulders 14; and with the spacing blocks 13 fitting inthe slots formed between the ribs 15. The housing C is next placed in the proper position against the top plate B, and the studs 8 are inserted in the sleeves 7 and screwed into the holes 9. The

sleeves 7 are then adjusted until the strap 1 exerts the proper tension to hold the housing G inplace against the top plate B, a nd the lock nuts '11 are tightened to lock the sleeves in the adjusted positions. j

The parts may be sealed. wires (not shown) passing through holes in each sleeve 7, the ends of each wire being brought together and secured by a deformable lead seal in the usual manner.

One advantage of apparatus embodying our invention is that no holesare required in the glass housing and the housingis there-' fore highly efiicient in preventing d1rt and moisture from entering the relay and coming into contact with the operating parts of the relay. V Y

Another advantage of apparatus embodying our invention is that the pressure on the glass housing is distributed over a large area, and the probability of breakage of the glass is therefore small.

7 Still another advantage of apparatus embodying our invention .is'that all parts of the apparatus are on the outside of the housing and all of the, space on'the inside of the housing is available for the operating mechanism of the relay. j V

A further advantage of apparatus embodying our invention is that the apparatus is easy and economical to construct, and may be adjusted with the relay in an upright position.

, Although we have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications maybe made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what Weclaim is: i

1. In combination, a relay top plate, a relay housing, a strap passing around said housing and having its ends projecting upwardly past said top plate, two lugs one on each end of said strap and each provided with a threaded hole, two sleeves one screwed into each said threaded hole and each engaging said top plate, and two studs one inserted in each said sleeve and each fastened to said top plate.

2. Apparatus for fastening a relay top plate to a relay housing, comprising a strap passing around the housing and having a wide horizontal lower portion and two upwardly extending'arms, two lugs one on the upper end of each arm and each provided with a threaded hole, two adjustable sleeves one screwed into each said hole, two lock nuts one screwed on each said sleeve, and means for fastening each said sleeve-to said top plate.

3. In combination, a relay top plate, a relay housing, a strap passing around said housing and having its upper ends projecting above said top plate and bent over, two

metal blocks one riveted to the underside of each bent over end of said strap to form a lug, two adjustable sleeves one screwed through each said lug and engaging said top plate at a flat surface, two removable studs screwed into said top plate and one extending upwardly into each said sleeve, two lock nuts one screwed on each said sleeve, two spacing blocks riveted to said strap and en gaging said housing on opposite ends of the housing, four ribs integral with said housing one located on each side of said-strap at said spacingblocks and engaging said spacing blocks, and four integral shoulders on the bottom of said housing, two located on each side of said strap and engaging said strap.

4. In combination, a relay top plate, arelay housing, a strap passing around said housing, means attached to said strap for fastening said strap to said top plate, integral shoulders on the bottom of said housing engaging said strap on opposite sides of said strap, spacing blocks attached to said strap and engaging said housing at opposite ends of the housing near the top of the housing, and ribs integral with said housing and en gaging each of said spacing blocks on opposite sid-es'of the spacing blocks.

In'testimony whereof we afliX our signatures.

WILLIAM K. LOCKHART. THOMAS J. OMEARA. 

